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The National Organization for Animal Rights (ONDA, its Spanish acronym) from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law has forwarded a letter to Police Bureau Commissioner Antonio López Figueroa and Public Safety Secretary Alexis Torres Ríos, urging that the animals recently taken from a residence in the Boquerón area of Las Piedras receive the necessary care and protection mandated by Law 154 of 2008, which pertains to the Welfare and Protection of Animals.
Reports indicate that law enforcement officials arrived at the home, assisting bailiffs from the Humacao Court, and upon discovering the inhabitants and the animals in deplorable conditions, they proceeded to take the animals away.
The request encompasses any animal still on the premises as deserving to be fed, cared for, and protected, asserting that any private or public entity responsible for those animals is legally obliged to ensure their physical and emotional well-being.
Animal advocacy groups and supporters have endorsed the letter, calling for the animals to receive prompt veterinary care and for rescue organizations to be involved to ensure their safety and well-being.
“It is feasible to act with compassion and responsibility, safeguarding both the animals and the individuals involved while adhering to existing legal requirements,” stated Anlis Mercado Ríos, mentor at ONDA.
The organizations and individuals that have signed the letter expressed their willingness to work with authorities in finding solutions that protect the rights of animals in accordance with Puerto Rican law.
Law 154 lays out specific responsibilities regarding the protection of animals’ health and life, and ONDA emphasized that governmental bodies, including the Municipality of Las Piedras, are required to uphold and enforce this legislation.
